The Princess and the Lazy Shinobi
by Rose-Aki
Summary: Temari and Shikamaru meet Kurenai and Mirai, who invite them to dinner. Maybe spending some time with little Mirai can bring the lazy shinobi and the stubborn kunoichi closer. Temari/Shikamaru
1. Flowers and Jealousy

A/N: I came up with the idea that Kurenai would want Shikamaru to be happy and play a bit matchmaker. Mirai is unknowingly taking after her mother. I don't want to give away everything, so I just hope all of you like it :)

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Temari and Shikamaru were once again preparing the Chunin Exams and on their way to a few possible locations for the field test.

"This is so troublesome, running around and searching for suitable places."

"As if you would be 'running around' lazy ass." Temari countered.

"Troublesome woman."

"You already said that a few times today."

"Doesn't make it less true." Shikamaru smirked.

"I will tell you what is true. You are-"

"Shikamaruuu." A loud scream interrupted Temari's upcoming insult.

Both shinobis turned around and Shikamaru's expression changed to a honest smile. He crunched down to catch the three year old child running to him in his arms.

"Mirai what are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked smiling and stood up with the child securely in his arms.

"I helped mama food shopping." She said proudly.

"And where is Kurenai?"

"When I saw you I ran away, but she must be here somewhere." Mirai made a thoughtful face.

"You can't just run away like that. Your mama is surely worried about you."

"I am sorry I was just so happy to see you." The little girl looked guilty.

"It's alright." Shikamaru ruffled the child's dark hair. "Let's search for Kurenai together."

Just then said kunoichi emerged from the crowd of people around them.

"Mirai there you are."

Shikamaru let the little girl down who ran up to her mother. Together mother and daughter went over to the two shinobis.

"Shikamaru it's good to see you." Then Kurenai's eyes turned to Temari. "It's a pleasure to meet the sister of the Kazekage." She bowed lightly.

Temari who had previously been ignored by Mirai and Shikamaru smiled politely and bowed as well. "Please call me Temari."

Now Mirai seemed to realize for the first time that someone stood next to Shikamaru. The shadow user felt something pull on his trouser leg. Looking down he saw the little girl watching him with thoughtful eyes.

"Who is that pretty lady?"

"This is Temari a friend of mine and also the princess of Suna."

The blonde kunoichi was shocked for a moment. No one ever called her that. It may be true somehow, but she didn't feel like a princess at all. She was a kunoichi and not some helpless princess. Was he mocking her? She was about to give the lazy shinobi a piece of her mind when she saw his honest smile. Every time he looked at her that way her heart did funny things and her anger disappeared. This time was no exception. Maybe he just wanted to explain it simply to Mirai and princess was easier than 'sister of the Kazekage' or maybe he really thought of her as princess. Temari shock her head to fight the upcoming blush. No that was impossible, all he saw in her was a troublesome woman.

Realizing that Mirai was still facing her curiously Temari smiled at her and knelt down to her eye level.

"Hello nice to meet you."

She could feel Shikamaru watching her closely. What was he looking for? How bad she was with children? Sure she had taken care of her brothers when they were little, but this was completely different. She never had a mother as role model and she doubted that she had natural mother instincts. Was he just protective of Mirai or was this some sort of test?

When the little girl smiled at her she stood up to face Shikamaru, who looked softly at her. If this was a test she seemed to have passed it.

"I would like to invite you two to dinner when you are done with your work. What do you think?" Kurenai suggested suddenly.

"Yes, please please Shikamaru." Mirai was already pulling wildly at his trouser leg.

The shadow user looked at Temari as if asking her if it was alright for her. She nodded and that was all the confirmation he needed.

"Thanks for the invitation, we would love to."

Kurenai had seen the silent exchange between them and smiled. There was something special between these two and maybe later at dinner she could help them see it.

After a quick goodbye Shikamaru and Temari left. They were quite the whole way to the next location, both deep in thoughts.

A few hours later they were finally done.

"Before we go to Kurenai I have to drop by Ino."

Temari nodded in understanding, so they were a couple now. She shouldn't be surprised, after all Ino and him were in the same team and they knew each other since they were little. However if she had known it all along why did her heart hurt so much? The realization was like a kunai went straight into her heart. Angry at herself for feeling like this she shock her head and focused on the flower shop in front of her.

"Hello Shikamaru." Ino greeted him with a smile, but when her eyes landed on Temari it turned into a light grin. "Don't say anything, you want to buy red roses for her."

Shikamaru and Temari couldn't help but blush at Ino's words. Temari could have slapped herself in this moment for thinking the two teammates were a couple, it was obvious that there was only friendship between them. What had gotten into her to think that in the first place? Was is jealousy? However to be jealous you had to be in l-. She stopped her thoughts right there and instead focus on the conversation between the two friends.

"No, I need flowers for Kurenai."

At that Ino's grin dropped and a sad look replaced it. "How is she doing?"

"She is brave and the best mother Mirai could wish for."

Ino only nodded and gave Shikamaru a beautiful bouquet of flowers. After he paid he left with Temari for Kurenai's house. It took only a short knock and the kunoichi opened the front door.

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A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)


	2. A special story

A/N: First of all I want to thank YenGirl, tiadb1996, dara093 and Alexia-Kate for reviewing. I hope all of you like the ending :)

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Ino only nodded and gave Shikamaru a beautiful bouquet of flowers. After he paid he left with Temari for Kurenai's house. It took only a short knock and the kunoichi opened the front door.

"Again flowers Shikamaru. You really don't have to bring flowers every time you visit. The Yamanaka shop must be rich thanks to you."

"It's the least I can do." Shikamaru said and handed her the bouquet.

"You do enough for us." Kurenai smiled lightly before she invited them in.

When Shikamaru let Temari enter first the blond kunoichi thought, not for the first time, that he was really a gentleman under all his lazy attitude. Alone that he brought Kurenai flowers was a sweet gesture and he seemed to do it often.

Now they stood in the living room and Temari took the time to look around. Everywhere were pictures of Mirai, as well as a group picture of Shikamaru's team and of course some of Asuma.

"Can I help you with cooking?" Shikamaru offered.

Before Kurenai could reply anything Mirai came running into the room.

"Shikamaru can we play shinobi again?"

Kurenai laughed and smiled at the young Nara and her daughter. "It seems you are needed elsewhere, but maybe Temari wants to help me out."

"Of course."

With that settled Mirai dragged Shikamaru outside to the garden while Temari and Kurenai went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The older kunoichi began with polite small talk, but when they took a break and went outside she was ready to talk seriously with the blond. A few minutes they watched in silence how Mirai ran after Shikamaru with a fake kunai in hand.

"One day he will be a good father. The woman he is going to marry can be happy." Kurenai smiled and looked closely for Temari's reaction. When she saw hope followed by melancholy and sadness enter the young kunoichi's eyes she knew she was right about Temari's feelings. "You should tell him."

"What?" Temari's head snapped around to look at her.

"He adores you, he is just not sure if it's returned."

Temari's eyes widened for a moment and her heart fluttered wildly in her chest before she forced it to calm down. "No." She shock her head sadly. "I'm just one of these troublesome women who make his life difficult."

Kurenai had to smile at that. Shikamaru was right when he had told her that the blond kunoichi was stubborn, so she needed to be even more direct with her.

"You know the men of the Nara Clan are known for falling in love with the most troublesome women. Calling you that is a hint at his feelings for you." When Temari still looked skeptical she continued. "Just today, and I'm sure you noticed it as well, he was testing your potential as wife and mother of his children. You know he plans 200 steps ahead. He has a reason for everything and that he agreed to visit today with you has one as well. My opinion means a lot to him, so he wouldn't have brought you here if he wasn't serious about you."

Now a thoughtful expression entered Temari's face. So it hadn't been just her imagination that Shikamaru had tested her today. Everything Kurenai said made sense, but what should she do now? How was she supposed to tell him and there was another thing that was one her mind.

"And what are you going to tell him? I mean what you think of me."

"That he was right and you are really the most troublesome woman." Kurenai laughed and Temari after a moment of surprise joined her. They watched Shikamaru and Mirai in silence before the young kunoichi spoke up.

"Thank you."

"Not for that. You two just needed a push in the right direction. Make sure to tell him soon, he deserves to be happy after all that has happened."

Half an hour later they all sat around the dinner table and ate.

"It's delicious Kurenai." Shikamaru praised.

"It's a recipe from Temari and she cooked it entirely alone. I just assisted her."

"I didn't know you could cook." The shadow user looked surprised at the young kunoichi.

"Well my brothers didn't get as strong as they are now with only convenience foods."

"Anyway, it's great."

Temari couldn't hide the light blush that showed due to his compliment. Probably she had passed another of his tests without knowing.

"Mirai it's time for bed, it's already late." Kurenai announced after they finished dinner.

"Can Shikamaru tell me a bedtime story again?"

"Of course, but only when you are in bed." Shikamaru smiled at the young girl.

"Okay and Temari should come too." Mirai said before she went in the direction of the bathroom.

"I will help her get ready." Kurenai stood up.

"And we will clear the table." The young Nara offered. Kurenai nodded and left. After a few minutes of silence he spoke up again. "It's rare that Mirai trusts someone so easily, she must really like you."

"That's just because I'm a friend of you." Temari argued.

"No, I think you are just good with children."

"Not as good as you."

"That's just because I have more practice."

They smiled at each other before they reached both for the last plate. When their fingers touched their eyes locked and for a moment time seemed to stand still.

"She is ready, you can go upstairs now." Kurenai's voice broke the moment between them and they both blushed.

Quickly they went in the child's room where Mirai was already waiting for them. Kurenai said good night to her daughter and left her with the two shinobi.

"Now tell me a fairy tale, but not one I already know."

"There was a beautiful princess of the dessert. She wasn't a typical helpless one but a strong kunoichi who fought for her village. One day she met another, a little lazy, shinobi. They had to fight each other at that time because their countries were at war. When peace came around the princess saved the lazy shinobi from a mad woman. A few month later it was the other way around. Saving each others life brought the two closer together."

Temari was listening closely. Of course had she recognized their story and now she really wanted to know how he would finish it, but then he stopped.

"Seems like she is asleep." And sure enough Mirai was asleep with a smile on her face. "Asuma would be so proud of her." Temari could even in the dim light see that Shikamaru's eyes looked sad. She stepped closer to him and lay a hand on his shoulder.

"He would be proud of you as well."

The young Nara lay his hand above hers on his shoulder and squeezed it lightly.

"Maybe."

After they had said goodbye to Kurenai Shikamaru brought Temari to her hotel.

"You never finished the story. How does it end?" Temari asked shyly when they stood in front of her hotel room.

"That is up to us." He replied softly and looked deep into her eyes.

"I would like a happy end." Her voice was only a whisper, but he still heard her.

"Me too."

With that he moved closer and their eyes fluttered close. Their lips met in a shy first kiss and it seemed like the princess of the dessert and the lazy shinobi got their happy end.

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A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)


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